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A Longevity Doctor's Simple Bone Health Tip
Primary care doctor and longevity specialist Amanda Kahn, MD, shares a bone health tip she's implemented into her own life.
Here's why Fatty15 is the longevity supplement everyone’s talking about
Meet Fatty15, the C15:0 supplement shown to slow aging at a cellular level. Backed by 100+ studies, Fatty15 supports sleep, mood, skin, heart health.
Michael Clinton examines aging and its impact on health and the economy
Michael Clinton, a former Hearst executive, discusses his book "Longevity Nation," which explores the implications of longer life expectancy for individuals and society.
Beauty Comes From Within; Aesthetic Medicine Embraces Longevity Science
Plastic surgeons used to focus on what the eye sees. They are starting to focus on the biology beneath it
AMD Announces Socket AM5 Longevity till 2029
AMD in its Computex 2026 presentation, celebrated 10 years of the Socket AM4 platform that kickstarted the company's long march to competitiveness with Intel in the desktop PC processor market, and its eventual domination. Socket AM4 supports the original "Zen" and "Zen+," across the Ryzen 1000 and ...
Here's the No. 1 breakfast mistake Americans make every morning, says oncologist and longevity expert
Ezekiel J. Emanuel has spent 35 years as an oncologist and expert on health policy. He shares his breakfast tips for better metabolic health, energy and longevity.
Longevity science picks up steam in pharma
Fueled by multi-billion-dollar valuations and a deeper understanding of aging biology, the field is rapidly moving past the hype and into the clinic.
The woman behind the world’s biggest longevity competition
Jamie Justice of XPRIZE Healthspan on the most promising research and "purely scammy" treatments in the world of longevity.
Sirio bets on longevity with science-backed ingredients in fun formats
Amid a trend for healthy aging, Sirio built a longevity platform for daily habits that it introduced at Vitafoods Europe 2026. Nutrition Insight meets up with the company to discuss its take on longevity — science-backed ingredients in fun formats for daily adherence that are marketed responsibly.“We’re really just getting started,” Maria Pavlidou, head of Marketing at Sirio Europe, tells us. “It’s fascinating what is going on with longevity in different fields.”
Wonder Whether You Get Enough Sleep? Science Says Just Answer These 6 Simple Questions
Where health, longevity, and cognitive ability are concerned, here's how to know you get the right amount of sleep.
'Are we just going to give up and die like every other generation?'
Inside the longevity conference that brings together founders, investors, biohackers, and the generally death-averse to discuss how to forestall — or even beat — our demise.
When Services, Science and Longevity Converge
What happens when services, science and longevity converge.
Global Mitochondrial Health Summit 2026: How nutraceuticals power cellular energy for longevity
Mitochondrial health is now recognized as vital for overall well-being and longevity. Leading clinicians, researchers, and educators on the emerging science behind the cellular powerhouse will be meeting on June 26 at the inaugural Global Mitochondrial Health Summit, hosted by Kaneka Ubiquinol.Ahead of the event in Sydney, Australia, Nutrition Insight speaks with Dr. Kazunori Hosoe, scientist and researcher at Kaneka Corporation, about advancements in mitochondrial science, gaps in nutraceutical products, and how the industry can communicate complex science with consumer-friendly messaging.
14 books from JPMorgan's summer reading list: AI, World Cup, longevity
JPMorgan's 27th annual summer reading list features nonfiction books on trending topics, from AI to longevity.
Spin to win: How this life insurance company turns healthy habits into a game
You've heard of lower car insurance rates for good drivers. Now, one life insurance company wants to incentivize longevity with lower rates and extra bonuses for people who adopt healthy habits.
Life’s essential 8 and longevity: the sustained impact of cardiovascular health on mortality from middle age to centenarians
npj Aging - Life’s essential 8 and longevity: the sustained impact of cardiovascular health on mortality from middle age to centenarians
Physical therapist says one ‘efficient’ daily habit could transform health and longevity
Dr. Milica McDowell, author of the new book "Walk," shared in an interview with Fox News Digital how powerful walking can be.
How the Silicon Valley-backed steroid Olympics aim to get everyone hooked
As biohacking gains momentum among elites including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Peter Thiel-backed Enhanced Games aims to normalize longevity drugs through a Vegas sports spectacle. Critics call the premise dangerous and unethical.
Hims & Hers CEO is plotting new ways to upend traditional health care
Hims & Hers built massive weight-loss markets using telehealth. Peptides, if authorized by the FDA, stand to become a major part of the company’s shift to wellness and longevity.
Scientists discover hidden driver of aging — Simple supplement reversed brain decline
A newly identified brain protein may play a major role in how the body ages. Researchers discovered that declining levels of Menin in the hypothalamus triggered inflammation, memory problems, bone loss, and other aging-related changes in mice. Restoring Menin reversed several of these effects, while a simple amino acid supplement called D-serine boosted cognition. The discovery opens a surprising new path for fighting age-related decline.
One mystery of the Great Pyramid’s longevity has finally been solved
Differences in how the pyramid and surrounding soil vibrate, along with design choices, have protected the structure from earthquakes.
‘Morbid’ doesn’t want you to fall for antiaging hype
Scientist Saul Justine Newman debunks high-profile longevity research and antiaging “medicine” in a new book.
At least 80% responsibility for ill health in old age down to individual, says study
UK report argues people have greater control over longevity than widely understood, but others say claim is simplistic
SimonMed hopes to drum up whole-body MRI business
The Tucson, Arizona-based radiology practice announced it will offer 20% discounts on its longevity scans to the military, veterans and first responders.
John Cena plans to lift weights in his 80s: longevity lessons from WWE
WWE icon John Cena said he's training for longevity with 3 tips he picked up in his pro wrestling career. He wants to stay strong for years to come.
Big lessons the US can learn from a country with one of the fastest-growing lifespans
There is a lot the United States can learn about health and longevity from South Korea.
The Woman Selling Longevity to Women Left Out of the Boys Club
Influencer Kayla Barnes-Lentz has built a loyal following arguing that wellness protocols based on male-dominated science don’t cut it for half the population.
Can having a dog boost your longevity? Here’s what science says.
There is some research that suggests furry friends improve the health of their humans.
Can having a dog boost your longevity? Here’s what science says.
There is some research that suggests furry friends improve the health of their humans.
Marketers say NAD+ pills and infusions can boost longevity. What's the evidence?
Wellness and longevity influencers are pushing a compound called NAD+. There's scientific interest in its potential, but researchers say the marketing claims have gotten ahead of the science.
Why the Wellness Industry Is Betting Big on Longevity Science: Expert View by Spherical Insights
Wellness market is projected to grow from approximately USD 5.4 trillion in 2024 to nearly USD 10.73 trillion by 2035, registering a CAGR of around 6.44% during 2025–2035.
Lessons From America’s Oldest Distillery
The Laird family has owned its distillery operation almost continuously for over three centuries. Its longevity offers valuable lessons.
Scientists successfully transfer longevity gene and extend lifespan
Scientists at the University of Rochester pulled off a remarkable experiment: they transferred a longevity-related gene from the famously long-lived naked mole rat into mice, and the mice ended up healthier and lived longer. The special gene boosts production of a substance called high molecular weight hyaluronic acid, which appears to protect against cancer, reduce inflammation, and support healthier aging. The modified mice showed stronger resistance to tumors, healthier guts, and lower levels of age-related inflammation.
One Critical Factor Predicts Longevity Better Than Diet or Exercise, Study Finds
It's vital for almost every aspect of our well-being.
Benefits of walking for health and longevity explored by 'Walk' authors
'Fox & Friends' co-host Steve Doocy joins Dr. Courtney Conley and Dr. Milica McDowell to discuss the myriad benefits of walking for health and longevity. They highlight 'Vitamin W' and 'movement snacks' to improve overall wellness.
9 Supplements Doctors Recommend Most to Support Healthy Aging
Many supplements promise to help you live longer, but aren't actually backed by science. Here are the ones doctors actually recommend for longevity.
David Attenborough’s 4 Longevity Habits At Age 100 For A Healthy Life
The acclaimed nature documentary filmmaker has adopted lifestyle habits that can boost health and longevity.
Sir David Attenborough Is 100 Years Old Today! This Could Be The Secret of His Longevity.
Happy birthday, sir!
Trump's pick for science director: a Silicon Valley investor with no science background
Jim O'Neill, a longevity enthusiast and vaccine skeptic, is Trump's pick to head the National Science Foundation
Brain health supplements are booming. Here’s what one longevity expert takes.
Only one has been shown in clinical trials to slow cognitive aging, by about two years. This is what the science says about which supplements work.
New water battery could last until the 24th century — and it can be safely discarded in the environment
With no toxic elements to dispose of, the new aqueous battery design could dramatically improve the safety and longevity of battery energy-storage systems.
Who’s selling longevity? Biohackers are buying.
Several companies are currently positioning themselves at the crossroads of metabolic health and longevity
The Longevity Secrets Helping Athletes Blow Past the Limits of Age
With cutting-edge sports medicine and sci-fi gadgetry, more and more athletes are figuring out how to extend their careers.
The Longevity Secrets Helping Athletes Blow Past the Limits of Age
With cutting-edge sports medicine and sci-fi gadgetry, more and more athletes are figuring out how to extend their careers.
Bryan Johnson tweet draws attention to vaginal microbiome. What is that?
Bryan Johnson tweeted his wife's vaginal microbiome test results. We spoke to OBGYNs and longevity advocates about what that is and if you should do it too.
Thymus renaissance poised to boost health and longevity
Nature Biotechnology - Evidence linking thymic function with health and longevity is piling up, and a cluster of biotechnology companies is trying to regenerate the thymus directly or recapitulate...
Long-deferred projects move forward as Chicagoland communities build for the future
Communities throughout Chicago are modernizing public facilities as part of a broader construction effort to build for function and longevity.
The body’s most mysterious organ may play a key role in longevity and cancer
A raft of research is recasting the thymus from a bit player to a potent regulator of aging and immune health.
The expert on 'super aging' breaks down the science — and grift
From peptides and protein to sleep hygiene and vaccines, what actually helps you age well? Physician Eric Topol breaks down the science — and the myths — of longevity and anti-aging.
The expert on 'super aging' breaks down the science — and grift
From peptides and protein to sleep hygiene and vaccines, what actually helps you age well? Physician Eric Topol breaks down the science — and the myths — of longevity and anti-aging.
A Scientist Says Humans Will Stop Aging by 2029, Here's the Technology That Could Make It Real
A futurist l predicts humanity could reach "longevity escape velocity", the point where life expectancy grows faster than we age. But is it realistic?
3 aging mistakes top longevity doctors and scientists say to avoid
It's hard to tell which longevity trends actually work. Doctors and scientists shared what they wish people would stop doing in the hope of optimizing their health.
A Scientist Says Humans Will Go Backwards in Time Within Just 3 Years
Computer scientist and futurist Ray Kurzweil believes humanity will achieve “longevity escape velocity” in just three years.
10 simple longevity hacks doctors and scientists use to stay healthy
Top longevity doctors, scientists, and investors share the simple, evidence-backed habits they use to stay healthy — from sleep and diet to exercise.
10 simple longevity hacks doctors and scientists use to stay healthy
Top longevity doctors, scientists, and investors share the simple, evidence-backed habits they use to stay healthy — from sleep and diet to exercise.
This ‘longevity drug’ may weaken gains from exercise
Researchers anticipated rapamycin would enhance the effects of working out, while also initiating health improvements of its own, but the results surprised them.
Your Mouth Could Be Aging You Faster—The Hidden Health Risk
Your mouth may reveal more than your smile—experts link gum health to heart disease, inflammation, and aging. Here’s why oral care is key to longevity.
Can Spending More Improve Your Health and Prolong Your Life?
The desire to live longer and healthier lives has spawned a growth in services and supplements. So what works best?
Health insurance and end-of-life healthcare expenditures: evidence from Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey
npj Health Systems - Health insurance and end-of-life healthcare expenditures: evidence from Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey
She's 35 and obsessed with living longer. It might be working.
It's the Wild West for women's health and longevity, and Kayla Barnes-Lentz is taking the reins.
Cedars-Sinai Event Explores Ethics of Longevity Science
Cedars-Sinai experts and prominent scholars of religion, Jewish law and ethics are coming together on May 3 for a free public discussion focusing on the ethical, moral and theological questions that can result from medical breakthroughs.
Geneva College of Longevity Science Launches the World’s First PhD in Longevity Sciences
GENEVA and CONSTANȚA, Romania, April 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Geneva College of Longevity Science (GCLS) today
Why recreational sports are recommended for health and longevity
Recreational sports are recommended because of the variety of movements they offer.
Column | Just 2 minutes a day of this type of exercise may help you live longer
Getting older doesn’t have to mean slowing down. In fact, turning up the intensity, even very briefly, can transform long-term health and improve longevity.
Kara Swisher examines the science, tech and business of living longer in new CNN docuseries
Kara Swisher begins her new CNN series on longevity and health in a cemetery, reflecting on her father's death. The series, “Kara Swisher Wants to Live Forever,” explores how health
An 80-year-old woman has an elite VO2 max thanks to simple habits
Linda Kelly is 80 years old. She's as fit as someone decades younger and has an elite-level VO₂ max. Her easy daily habits add up to peak longevity.
Bryan Johnson says you should pay more attention to your resting heart rate
Your resting heart rate holds big clues to your overall health according to longevity influencer Bryan Johnson who spoke at BI Live's The Long Play.
Redefining health and value as we age
Explore Mayo Clinic’s Aging Forward podcast with Sir Muir Gray on healthy aging—fitness, prevention, self-care, and community support for longevity and purpose.
Industry leaders speak about AI at Business Insider's The Long Play
Some of the buzziest names in superintelligence, media, health, and longevity got real about AI's impacts at Business Insider's The Long Play.
Longevity enthusiast Bryan Johnson shares a test for biological age
Johnson led the exercise at Business Insider's The Long Play event in San Francisco on Tuesday. You can do it anywhere with a timer.
Why climate action matters for healthy longevity
Climate change is shaping how long and how well people live. Here’s how climate action can support healthier, longer lives and reduce growing longevity gaps.
Can red light therapy really deliver a beauty and health glow up? Here's the science
Wellness influencers tout the therapy's power for everything from rejuvenating skin and hair to boosting longevity. Devices sold for at-home use abound. We look at the evidence behind the hype.
Can red light therapy really deliver a beauty and health glow up? Here's the science
Wellness influencers tout the therapy's power for everything from rejuvenating skin and hair to boosting longevity. Devices sold for at-home use abound. We look at the evidence behind the hype.
Can red light therapy really deliver a beauty and health glow up? Here's the science
Wellness influencers tout the therapy's power for everything from rejuvenating skin and hair to boosting longevity. Devices sold for at-home use abound. We look at the evidence behind the hype.
Scientists were wrong about lifespan. Your genes matter way more than we thought
For years, scientists believed our lifespan was mostly shaped by environment and chance, with genetics playing only a minor role. But a new study from the Weizmann Institute flips that idea on its head, revealing that genes may actually account for about half of the differences in how long people live. By analyzing massive twin datasets—including twins raised apart—and using innovative simulations to filter out deaths from accidents and other external causes, researchers uncovered a hidden genetic influence that had been masked for decades.
iPhone Fold’s Crease-Less Display Longevity Claims Will Be Scrutinized As OPPO Find N6’s Real-World Use Exposes Its Exaggerated Marketing
An OPPO Find N6 owner exposes the device’s false crease-less claims after a month of use, bringing pressure on Apple and its iPhone Fold
What the tech bros are getting wrong about longevity that you can get right
A whole industry revolves around longevity, but much of it misses the point. Kara Swisher learns what matters in the new CNN series, “Kara Swisher Wants to Live Forever.”
Kara Swisher examines the science, tech and business of living longer in new CNN docuseries
NEW YORK (AP) — Journalist Kara Swisher begins her new, six-part CNN series about longevity and health in an interesting location — a cemetery.
Kara Swisher examines the science, tech and business of living longer in new CNN docuseries
Kara Swisher begins her new CNN series on longevity and health in a cemetery, reflecting on her father's death | K-DAWN
My favorite health foods from Costco, from 65-year-old fitness trainer
As a personal trainer focused on longevity and healthy eating, I stock up on protein-filled foods like frozen chicken and Greek yogurt at Costco.
These simple lifestyle changes could decrease dementia risk by 25%
New research is the latest to show that people don’t need elaborate or expensive longevity hacks to stay mentally sharp as they age.
What Is Tmrw Longevity Powder? Here's what to know about the blue scoop
Tmrw Longevity Powder combines blue spirulina with a focused blend designed to support energy, clarity, digestion and healthy aging pathways.
45-year-old longevity researcher: How I keep my body and brain healthy—it's what 'your grandmother probably told you to do'
Jamie Justice's research focus is how to "prevent or delay the onset of functional declines, disability or chronic diseases" as people age, she says.
We've got a winner in our business-focused bracket
A champion has been crowned in our business-focused March Madness bracket: longevity. It won almost 67% of the more than 200 votes.
Chinese satellite with robotic 'octopus arm' passes key refueling test in orbit — making longer-lived space assets more likely
The experimental Hukeda-2 satellite and its highly flexible robotic arm have passed a major refuelling test in low Earth orbit. The demonstration is the latest step toward China significantly expanding the longevity of its spacecraft.
Cardiologist Reveals Favorite Exercise Class For Workout Variety
In TODAY.com's Expert Tip of the Day, a cardiologist reveals how she unexpectedly discovered a "really intense workout" and why a variety of workouts boosts longevity.
FDA Is Expected to Lift Restriction on Peptides, Heeding RFK Jr.’s Wishes
The peptides, which are increasingly marketed as providing longevity and health benefits, were removed in 2023 from the agency’s list of products that compounding pharmacies can sell.
Is longevity science stuck? Researchers call for a strategic reset
After decades of progress, longevity science may be facing a paradox: more knowledge, but limited impact. Some researchers now suggest the field may have failed not because of insufficient data, but because of flawed strategy.
The Biggest Pros And Cons Of GM's Vortec Engines
The biggest pros of GM's Vortec engines are their longevity, performance and efficiency. The biggest cons come from their oil consumption and use of AFM.
Canadian business stalls over US trade deal jitters
STORY: The Canadian manufacturing hub of Windsor is home to thousands of small and specialized part makers and caters primarily to car companies and equipment manufacturers. The city thrives on close integration with Detroit, America's automotive capital, just across the river.That means it's also on the frontline of tariff and trade uncertainty with Canada's largest trading partner. JACKIE RAYMOND: "Even if we don't directly work with the automotive industry, we indirectly do."Jackie Raymond is co-owner of FASTSIGNS, a Canadian company that designs and installs custom business signs and graphics.The company is coming off its toughest year since the pandemic. Orders from its core automotive clients dried up.And while a new project brought some relief, the company says customers are placing smaller orders, demanding longer payment terms, and bargaining harder on prices.:: FileIt all points to uncertainty tied to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which is up for review this year. It's a deal U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he could scrap.:: Washington, D.C. / December 2, 2025TRUMP: "...and we'll either let it expire or we'll maybe work out another deal with Mexico and Canada...":: FileThe agreement - known as CUSMA north of the border - exempts most Canadian goods from U.S. levies.While Mexico has started formal negotiations with the U.S. over the deal's renewal, Canada has so far only held informal talks.RAYMOND: "I think the CUSMA is very, very important because it trickles down to every little business right down to your barber shop and your nail shop, which will affect all of our customers."The situation in Windsor reflects a broader unease facing Canada's economy, which contracted 0.6% in the fourth quarter. About 90% of the city's exports cross the border, often multiple times during production.Manufacturing accounts for nearly a quarter of employment in the Windsor-Essex region.Its chamber of commerce, which represents about 750 businesses, says companies paused investments, delayed production, and cut jobs at the height of the tariff uncertainty last year. :: FileWindsor partly regained its footing as Trump exempted USMCA-compliant exports from Canada from tariffs in March last year.But uncertainty still drags on business confidence and Windsor's unemployment level remains one of the highest among major cities in Canada.Local shops complain of lower traffic and restaurants report thinner crowds.And builders say the housing market – often among the first sectors to show strain from the knock-on effects of tariff uncertainties – is near a standstill.Brent Klundert of BK Cornerstone, a local real estate builder, said he laid off 13 of his 21 staff as sales and prices slumped last year. "And you know, when people are going to make the biggest investment of their life, they really want confidence in their job, in the longevity of their job in the economy itself. And people lost that due to the tariffs.” // “If we can get through CUSMA, if we can get through our trade agreements with the US, I think that that will add a lot of confidence into the marketplace that we've been lacking.”Since January Klundert has rehired 10 of his employees, hoping homebuyers would start coming back.So far, only a few have.
How a Healthy Mind-Set Influences Longevity
A few qualities, including a sense of purpose, seem to have real benefits — especially as you age.
A geneticist is studying pythons for clues about human health and longevity
A team of researchers believes that pythons may contain clues to help treat a range of human ailments — from heart disease to muscle atrophy, and more.
The final four of Business Insider's business-focused bracket
The business-focused March Madness bracket narrows to four trends: SaaSpocalypse, tariffs, longevity, and robotics.
Your Thymus and Your Healthspan
Our thymus gland plays a central role in the development or our immune system, specifically for supporting T cell development (how these cells got their name, maturation and differentiation in the thymus) and discriminating between self and foreign, non-self antigen proteins with production of dendritic cells. As we age, our thymus gland shrinks—the process known as involution—with progressive change from spongy to fatty tissue, with loss of functionality. But this process, with respect to timeline and extent, markedly varies from one person to the next. And to make things even more complicated, our thymus gland anatomy and precise location in the chest also is highly variable. So the famous Frank Netter diagrams from the 1960s (such as at left below) don’t capture the remarkable heterogeneity that a random set of 12 chest CT scans (below at right). What I consider as 2 landmark papers in Nature this week (here and here) used AI to quantify health of the thymus in 2 large cohorts, and then correlate the metric to a broad array of health outcomes. In this edition of Ground Truths, I’m going to cover three questions: (1) How was thymus health determined by AI?; (2) How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? and (3) Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? Subscribe 1. How was thymus health determined by AI? This was accomplished by extensive work developing and validating an AI pipeline for 2 stages, the first for localization and segmentation of the thymus bed, and the second to quantify a digital marker, termed the thymic health score. There’s a lot to this algorithmic development, so I won’t go into all the details, but just provide a rudimentary outline of what was done. The 1st stage used supervised learning with 2 radiologists reviewing 2,461 chest CT scans. That work trained a 3D U-Net model to automatically identify the thymic bed’s 3D cropped region using center of mass coordinates, which reached 99.8% accuracy. The 2nd stage used a foundation model that was pre-trained with SwAV (which stands for Swapping Assignment between multiple Views), a self-supervised model, that generated a high-dimensional thymus representation of 4,096 features. That compares to the radiology reductionist and subjective scoring of 0 to 3 where 0 means the thymus is fully degenerated and fatty, and 3 is considered dense, intact glandular soft tissue. Notably, the self-supervised learning (SSL) performance was superior to supervised (AUC ~0.75 vs 0.55, respectively) reflecting the shallowness of the 0-3 classifier vs SSL’s holistic, self-taught AI. The thymic health score ranged from 0 to 100, with the highest number indexed to fully preserved thymic health. The algorithmic work extended to explainability with both Shapely value distribution, meaning the model was holistic not relying on any “magic” pixel, and occlusion sensitivity, demonstrating the model’s performance was not affected by ribs, sternum, lung tissue, but rather focused on the thymic bed directly. Below are a few saliency maps from the occlusion sensitivity that indicate the thymic bed focus, not affected by neighboring structures, using the jet color scale. Now the AI was ready for processing ~25,000 CT scans, each over 30 MB files, from the 2 large participant cohorts to provide a thymic health score, it did so in less than 14 hours, which is less than 2 seconds per scan! Share 2. How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? The two cohorts were the National Lung Screening Trial, NLST (N=25,031) and the Framingham Heart Study, FHS (N=2,581) each with baseline demographics and long term follow up of >12 years for health outcomes. From the NSLT, you can see below that increased age and body-mass index were correlated to reduced thymic health. And, overall, men had reduced thymic health scores compared with women. There are a lot of graphs in the paper for outcomes, for both the NLST and FHS cohorts. To simplify the major outcomes, below is a composite Figure with striking reduction of all-cause mortality and for the different causes of death. The results were consistent between the 2 cohorts. For example, the cardiovascular mortality hazard ratio average was 0.57 in NLST and 0.38 in FHS (weighted to be 0.53 for the aggregate). The reduction of mortality also extended to digestive diseases and pulmonary disease (data not shown below). Lung cancer incidence was reduced by 36% for high vs low thymic health (Figure below, with a panel -incidence and b panel-mortality, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking status). Notably, there was a smoker’s paradox: lower incidence and improved survival for lung cancer in smokers who had a high thymus health score. Smoking was associated with lower thymic scores whereas alcohol was not. Higher thymic health was linked to higher HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides, lower fasting blood glucose, and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Inflammation biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, were elevated in the people with lower thymic health scores. In their second paper, the same team looked at the relationship between thymic score and outcomes for 3,476 patients receiving cancer immunotherapy. The non-small cell lung cancer progression-free survival was reduced in patients with low thymic health score. A parallel relationship for survival was seen for other types of cancer including melanoma, breast, and kidney with a 44% lower risk among high thymic scores (Figure). A similar pattern was seen with different immune checkpoint inhibitors. The thymus health score outperformed programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)and tumor mutation burden (TMB) assay of the tumor and was an independent prognostic marker of progression-free survival. In this dataset, a direct connect with thymus score and adaptive immune function was noted with a correlation before cancer treatment for both T-cell diversity and thymus T-cell production (a metric known as T cell receptor excision circles). Thymus Removal Study There is a highly relevant citation about thymus function before moving onto ways to rejuvenate it. In 2023, a very important study of thymus removal during cardiothoracic surgery was published, with 1146 patients undergoing thymus removal vs 1146 matched controls (mean age 55 years). The adverse outcomes for thymus removal were striking, with a 2.9 higher risk of all-cause mortality and doubling of cancer incidence, 1.5 fold increase in cancer mortality, and 1.5-fold increase in autoimmune diseases. The immune function showed marked compromise after thymus removal, as reflected by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (Figure below) Share Ground Truths 3. Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? In recent months we’ve learned a lot about the process of thymus involution and the pathways by which this may be modulated. Thymus involution is primarily due to loss to thymus epithelial cells (TECs) and there are 2 subtypes with different functions: the cortical, responsible for positive selection of T cells, and the medullary, for negative selection. When adipose tissue infiltrates the thymus, thymic adipocytes are pro-inflammatory, knocking out T-cell output. Likewise, systemic inflammation, or “inflammaging,” from smoking, obesity, and chronic stress promote thymic adipocytes. Now, from preclinical studies, we know about key pathways that account for these processes. Historically, back in 2014, FOXN1 was recognized as a single master transcription factor essential for TEC function, with studies in mice with forced FOXN1 upregulation leading to thymus regeneration. That laid the foundation for potential regrowth of quiescent thymus cells. It took awhile to find pathways to accomplish this goal and to even refute its role as the master regulator. The Liver-Thymus Axis Feng Zhang and his team recently showed that injection of an mRNA vaccine to the liver encoding DLL1, IL-7 and FLT3-L in combination, factors known to support thymopoiesis (Figure), successfully enhanced immune function in aged mice. However, the effect was transient. The FGF21 Story Two reports in 2025 addressed the thymus gland’s production of FGF21, a growth factor (fibroblast growth factor 21) and its control of thymus involution. This growth factor is also produced by the liver, but it doesn’t have impact on the thymus in aged rodent models. In contrast, The liver’s hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to reverse senescent TEC structural changes. Growth hormone stimulates production of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the liver and the thymus. Two small studies in human participants (TRIIM, for Thymus Regeneration, Immunorestoration, and Insulin Mitigation) of 6 and 50 people, respectively, treated with combined human growth hormone, metformin and DHEA, suggested the potential of slowing epigenetic aging and improving thymus mass and function. But the combination of drugs, small sample, and lack of controls make conclusions murky. Increased thymus FGF21 led to increased CD8 T cells in old mice and extended healthspan and improved physical performance. Building on the previous FOXN1 data, ablation of β-klotho, the obligatory co-receptor for FOXN1, accelerated thymic aging. The benefit to FGF21 was confirmed in a companion paper using an FGF21 knock-in mouse model showing thymus enlargement and increased TECs throughout the lifespan. (schematic Figure below). The accompanying editorial for these 2 papers speculated: “The proposed link between age-associated thymus involution and organismal aging is intriguing, and suggests we might seek to achieve systemic rejuvenation by counteracting thymic involution.” Other Factors Lessons from the Axolotl (Mexican Salamander) In an elegant set of experiments of the axolotl (Figure), known for its complete thymus regeneration after total surgical removal, mediators were identified. Surprisingly FOXN1 was dispensable. But midkine, a growth factor, appeared to be the driver, the initiator of thymus cell growth, survival, and repair. Other components that contributed were Postn+ (periostin-expressing mesenchymal niches) and Ccl19, a chemokine protein from the bloodstream. RANK and RANKL RANK (receptor activator of nuclear factor κB its ligand (RANKL) have been considered key regulators of medullary TECs. In a study of both aged mice and human thymus cell cultures, their key role was confirmed, with multiple benefits of resorting TEC function, recruitment of progenitor cells, and T cell development. Subscribe Summing Up This body of work strongly supports the health of the thymus gland as a critical regulator of human healthspan, not just a correlate or link. The new landmark studies are reinforced by the regenerative biology experimental models that have shown, via an array of mediators, that healthspan of aged mice is at least in part dependent on thymus gland function and its critical role for maintaining adaptive immunity. It sure seems that we’d be better off having an immune reservoir of naive T cells instead of a profile in older adults of exhausted, low quality, memory T cells, with a senescent phenotype. It is striking that we ignored the importance of the thymus gland for many decades. A wake-up call was the results of the thymectomy matched control study reviewed here, with the opposite of high thymic health score improved health outcomes. The convergence of AI and healthspan here is notable. The exceptional and laborious work for developing and validating (no less explaining) the AI to quantify thymus health set the foundation for probing the connect the major health outcomes in two cohorts with extensive follow-up. We’ve never had a way to meaningfully quantify the thymus gland before, so this represents important leverage of supervised, self-supervised, and transformer models. The study wouldn’t have been possible without AI. And it begs the question as to whether there are ways we can maintain our thymus at a high health score. But it’s not so simple to rejuvenate our thymus. There are multiple risks including the induction of autoimmunity, increasing the risk of cancer, and inducing a pro-inflammatory state. For example, factors that increase TEC proliferation could compromise the medulllary negative selection process and leak out auto-reactive (self-attacking) T cells. Thymic cells could be induced to proliferate, but we know, for example, that growth hormone and IGF-1 are associated with an increase risk of cancer. If thymus rejuvenation doesn’t clear out the accumulated senescent cells in older adults, then inflammation within the gland could block the production of TECs. Keeping these risks in mind, we now have identified many ways to keep our thymus healthy as we age that undoubtedly will be tested in clinical trials going forward. Ultimately, the benefit-to-risk tradeoffs will be defined. In the meantime, we have desperately needed an immunome. As I’ve stressed in multiple prior Ground Truths, we have no test in the clinic to assess a patient’s immune status! It was very encouraging for me to get an email from Hugo Aerts, the senior author of the landmark papers in the days after they were published: “I also wanted to say that your Substack on “Why We Need an Immunome” was inspiring for this work. We found it a very compelling perspective and greatly enjoyed reading it.” Just having an assessment of a person’s immune status via a chest CT scan, with millions of these performed per year, might help in guiding the right immunotherapy for cancer (e.g. more intensive, combinations for those with low thymic health scores) and help define people who are increased risk for age-related diseases of cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative. The main theme of Super Agers is that we now have many layers of data (genetics, proteins, biomarkers, organ clocks that can be integrated via multimodal AI) for us to define a person’s specific risk decades before one of these age-related diseases leads to symptoms, enabling prevention. From the new studies this week, we can add thymus health score as yet another way to understand a person’s risk, a window into their adaptive immune system and healthspan. And perhaps someday we will be able to safely rejuvenate the thymus, or maintain its health through one’s life, and use the thymus health score to monitor. NB: I wrote this post (No A.I.) A Quick Poll Loading... ********************************************************************* Thanks to Ground Truths subscribers (now > 200,000) from every US state and 212 countries. Your subscription to these free essays and podcasts makes my work in putting them together worthwhile. Please join! If you found this interesting PLEASE share it! Share Ground Truths Paid subscriptions are voluntary and all proceeds from them go to support Scripps Research. They do allow for posting comments and questions, which I do my best to respond to. Please don’t hesitate to post comments and give me feedback. Let me know topics that you would like to see covered. Leave a comment Many thanks to those who have contributed—they have greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for the past two years. 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